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Fascinating digression. I can't help but think this is precisely the kind of debate that would take place if persons began creating/reformulating "official" Middle Earth stories. Do Elves snort? Do Hobbits have 'lunch'? And of course the eternal question "What would Tolkien say?"
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Morwen - Interesting comment, but it seems to me that we're already doing this in connection with the central writings of Tolkien: weighing the meaning of words and drawing attention to various cultural/religious nuances according to the different perspectives and persuasions of each reader. The debate on this thread over vocabulary is not unique. So,other than the last question you raise, I'm not sure how different the conversations actually would be in relation to any later additions to the Legendarium. Basically, it would be just more of the same. I'm not raising the whole question of the rightness or wrongness of those additions.....merely noting that the process of argument you've described is one that is already taking place.